Pacers forward David West shows frustration during a road loss to the Heat on Dec. 18. / Steve Mitchell, USA TODAY Sports

by USA TODAY Sports Network, USA TODAY

by USA TODAY Sports Network, USA TODAY

Each week, USA TODAY Sports asks its NBA experts from around the country three questions about a current hot topic. This week, we take a look at the playoff picture and stretch run.

Which team needs home court advantage the most?

Ian Levy, Hickory-High.com: Definitely the Indiana Pacers. No one in the league has a bigger divide between their home and road point differentials than the Pacers, who are 14.5 points per 100 possessions better within the confines of Bankers Life Fieldhouse. They have proven they can go toe-to-toe with Miami, regardless of the location, while making all the right verbal declarations of confidence. But I think the Pacers won't be able to fully shake the psychological weight of last year's Game 7 loss until they are putting the final shovelful of dirt onto the Miami Heat's 2013-2014 season.

Jorge Sierra, HoopsHype.com: Being the most expensive team in the league, the Brooklyn Nets can at least save some face if they win a playoff series. Getting home-court advantage in the first round would go a long way towards that goal. Other than the Atlanta Hawks, they are the worst playoff team on the road this year with a 10-17 record as of now.

As for contenders, I still think Indiana needs that home-court advantage to get past Miami, so holding onto that No. 1 spot in the East will be key for them.

Adi Joseph, USA TODAY Sports: The Los Angeles Clippers are like two different teams, a true title contender at home (23-5 entering Wednesday) and a Western Conference lottery team on the road (16-15). The Clippers have the roster to lean toward the former, with superstars Blake Griffin and Chris Paul heading a balanced supporting cast. But if they're stuck in their current position, without home-court advantage even for the first round, they could be quick to exit.

Will the New York Knicks make the playoffs?

Levy: It's possible, but seems unlikely. They actually have the ninth-best scoring margin in the Eastern Conference, but trail the Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons and Hawks in the standings. Detroit and Cleveland both appear hell-bent on making the playoffs this season, battling chaos and turmoil at every turn. The Hawks have faded, ravaged by injury, but still have a more consistent and cohesive team then the Knicks. New York might pull together a run and leap frog one of those teams, but the idea of them jumping all three seems extremely far-fetched.

Sierra: All along, I expected New York to finally put it together and land one of the final playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. But I see no hope anymore. They are 5½ games entering Wednesday behind Atlanta and there's no sign that they can turn this thing around. Players and coaching staff are obviously no longer on the same page.

OK, I'll say a little more. The Knicks have 10 home games and 15 road games left, along with 11 games against winning teams. So, no.

What will be the most intriguing story line for the rest of the season?

Levy: The Oklahoma City Thunder. They have been one of the best teams in the league for nearly the entire season, the vast majority of which has been played without Russell Westbrook. Watching them try to maintain, and even improve their performance, while reintegrating Westbrook is going to be hugely compelling. Throw in the continued development of their young players and the continually en fuego Kevin Durant chasing his first MVP and the Thunder are clearly the team to watch from here on out.

Sierra: How far will the blatant tanking go? I expect this to get to the point where it's embarrassing for the league and they have to change some rules for the future. It's been pretty bad already and you know it only gets worse in the final weeks of the season. I'm pretty sure we'll see a flurry of minor injuries among the good players on the awful teams in March and April.

Joseph: The Utah Jazz are a weird team with way more talent than they get credit for. I said when they were about 3-14 that they would win 30 games, but they also could use a high draft pick. Here's to imagining that the ping-pong balls reward teams that didn't try to lose.